Aprilia’s Giugliano Tops Q2 at Assen World Superbike

Last year while piloting the then-Althea Ducati 1198 R at Assen in the Netherlands, Davide Giugliano took his maiden World Superbike podium.

After a not-so-good year with Ducati, Giugliano signed with Althea Racing Aprilia for the 2013 season. His best result so far after two rounds was fourth in race 2 at Aragon two weeks ago.

On the opening day of Assen World Superbike Friday, the Italian was fifth fastest behind the quickest man of the day, Kawasaki Racing’s Tom Sykes. But Friday’s sessions were anything but easy, inclement weather creating very wet track conditions.

When things dried up on Saturday morning for the second qualifying practice, Giugliano was quickest. Under dry conditions, the RSV4 pilot posted a 1:36.814 around the 2.82-mile circuit containing 17 corners (11 left, six right). To put this into perspective, Sykes quickest time under wet conditions on Friday was 1:57.190.

Giugliano was 0.069 of a second ahead of Sykes, who was the quickest rider in the final free practice session ahead of Superpole Saturday. These two riders were over half second quicker than the rest of the grid.

Next up was Sykes’ teammate Loris Baz, who was 0.656 of a second behind. Although the Pata Honda World Superbike team struggled, and one of its riders, Leon Haslam, broke his leg on Friday. But the team regrouped, and Jonathan Rea was the quickest CBR1000RR rider at Q2, 0.745 of a second back.

The Northern Irishman was followed by the current points leader, Aprilia Racing Team’s Sylvain Guintoli. The Frenchman was the final rider to post within a second of Giugliano, trailing 0.843 of a second back.

Next was the 2011 World Superbike Champion Carlos Checa aboard the Ducati Alstare 1199 Panigale R. The Spaniard was just over a second slower than former teammate Giugliano, and quicker than the BMW Motorrad GoldBet duo of Marco Melandri and Chaz Davies; both S1000RR riders are struggling at Assen.

Sweden’s Alexander Lundh (Team Pedercini Kawasaki) crashed early in the session at Turn 7 and was transferred to Medical Centre. Leon Camier (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) didn’t get on track this morning, not because of his fitness condition but due to a technical problem occurred on his GSX-R 1000.

The World SBK grid will now proceed into Superpole, which decides the grid for Sunday’s Assen World Superbike double header.